Unfortunate Events Walk - One

Last week I led the first three twilight walks for the Rock County Historical Society, the ones that because of their nearness to Halloween are called Chill at Oak Hill.  The last three are later this week. The emphasis in this walk is on creepiness, and we walk to the monuments of people who expired from awful accidents or murder, or who claimed to have psychic powers, or who were in some way associated with local ghost stories.  As last year was popular, this year's tour is also drawing crowds, many of whom have never been on one of my walks, or even who had never set foot in Oak Hill before this tour.  I found myself using a phrase over and over, even though it was not originally in my script - I found myself describing a person's demise as "an unfortunate event."  Probably I just remember that popular series of spooky young adult novels whose titles include those words.

But it's true. While the majority of folks who "passed to the land beyond" died of ordinary causes, old age, diseases, infections, heart disease and strokes, some died in more unusual ways. Memorable ways. Unfortunate ways.

This month I plan to post some walks you can easily do at Oak Hill that feature people who suffered some very unfortunate events.  All my little tours can be done in an hour or so, and I have grouped the monuments and headstones together by area.

What You Need

Dress for the weather, including sensible shoes.  The pavement and the ground can be very uneven, and there are low spots and woodchuck holes that may be covered with fallen leaves.  Good shoes make you more sure-footed.

You also need a cemetery map to more easily find the blocks.  I posted one earlier that you can run off (use the search box), or get one at the cemetery.  The "Rules" sheet provided by the city has a map on the back, or you can stop by the office M-F, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

All the stops on this walk are in the section behind the chapel, the area between the roads that run up the steep hill.  If you want more information you can search for these people on Find a Grave.  Use this hyperlink, or  search for Find A Grave Oak Hill Janesville, then type the name in the search box.  There are photos of each stone on the website as well.

1. Bert Grodivant (block 6) Monument features the logo for Woodmen of the World. Bert died when his arm was torn off in a well-digging accident.

2. Sarah Bull (block 19) Sarah's stone is just a plain gray granite headstone, but her story is colorful. While postmistress in Kansas, she witnessed the death of her husband Hiram, when he was attacked by an elk.  Originally from Janesville, she returned afterward and lived here until her death.

3. Pliny Norcross (block 20) Norcross' family monument and his headstone are near the road that runs up behind the left side of the chapel, under the trees.  He was a distinguished Civil War veteran, local businessman, and former mayor of Janesville.  He died when his straw hat blew from his head when he was standing near the Rock River.  When he turned to reach for it he slipped and fell into the water and was swept away.

4. Stella Austin (block 24) Stella's small headstone features an artist's palette.  She was a fine painter, and died young, of bronchitis, soon after giving birth to a stillborn child.

5. Charles Bennett (block 27) You can find Charles' name on the pretty white marble Bennett family monument, beneath the names of his parents.  Charles was only thirteen when he drowned in the river while playing on the sandbars and attempting to loosen a log jam.  He was his family's only son.

6. Raymond Jones (block 100) Raymond's headstone is small and looks modern. He was one of a number of Rock county residents who perished in the 1918 epidemic of Spanish influenza. He brother, Willis, was fighting in France when Raymond was stricken.

7. William Rodney Hathaway (block 112) Hathaway's tilting marble tablet headstone features a train engine. Hathaway died when he slipped on the connecting rods of the engine on which he worked, and was entangled in the machinery.

8. Carl Miller (block 109) Miller has a polished red granite headstone.  Miller, an engineer on he Chicago and Northwestern line and veteran of the Spanish American war, died heroically near Green Bay, attempting stop a runaway train.  Miller and another man raced to stop the train, and both fell on the tracks.  Miller pulled his companion to safety, but was dismembered by the train himself.

9. Frank Sutherland (block 117) Sutherland was a well known and popular young man.  He was unmarried and lived with his parents on Dodge street.  One night he came home at 11 p.m., and somehow made a misstep on a narrow set of stairs, fell backward, and broke his neck.

1900 hearse, Spokane, Washington (My great grandfather's family ran a funeral home.)